A significant event as regards environmental management took place on 1 April: the launch of the first specialised environmental court in Peru, in Puerto Maldonado. This will have jurisdiction over “criminal, administrative and constitutional cases involving the environment” throughout the Madre de Dios region.

There will be no lack of work: the judicial district of Madre de Dios currently faces nearly 3,000 active environmental complaints, the majority concerning illegal mining and deforestation.

Of course, as always, the actual impact of the new institution will depend on its leadership, staffing and the resources it has at its disposal; still, it is a positive step.